For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Cell: 317-201-0729
RLR/Andersen's Hildebrand
Makes Short Work of Mini Marathon
INDIANAPOLIS, May 3 - Whether it's on four Firestone Firehawks or his own two
feet, so far RLR/Andersen Racing's J.R. Hildebrand is mighty fast at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Hildebrand, a rookie in the Firestone Indy Lights series and its current
point leader, finished the 13.1-mile OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in just
1 hour, 33 minutes and 36 seconds on Saturday. He placed 834th out of more
than 35,000 entrants, averaging 7:09 minutes per mile.
The Mini's 13.1-mile course includes the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, where Hildebrand will drive RLR/Andersen Racing's Allied Building Products
No. 25 in the Freedom 100 on Friday, May 23. He was second fastest in a series
test there on April 11, which was the first time he drove at the Brickyard.
"I ran a sub-7-minute mile for the first five miles to get into the clear,
and then slowed a bit until the end," the 20-year-old native of Sausalito,
Calif., said after completing the Mini on Saturday.
He said his only specific training for the event was a 1-hour run on Tuesday.
He credited his performance to the overall condition he maintains for auto
racing through his regular training program directed by PitFit's Jim Leo.
"I really owe it to Jim Leo and PitFit Training that I was able to compete
and run as well as I did," Hildebrand said of that company, based at 6601
Coffman Road in Indianapolis, which guides the training of many top race car
drivers. "I think the fact that I didn't train for the event just goes to show how
effective the PitFit training program really is."
Hildebrand finished about 3.5 minutes ahead of another race car driver in the
Mini, IndyCar's Ernesto Viso.
The event is the largest half-marathon in the United States, and the
eighth-largest running event in America.
Hildebrand also thanked personnel at both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and
the 500 Festival for helping him with the paperwork that allowed him to
compete in the very popular event.
"I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into because I hadn't trained
for it and I haven't run that distance for time before," he added. "There
were a ton of people at the start, so it took a little while to get settled in,
but once I got a few miles in I felt pretty good.
"Running onto the speedway grounds was definitely an experience, and having
to run all the way around the track really gives one an appreciation for how
big the place really is and what we'll be up against in a few weeks," he
continued. "I was still on a good pace after I got through 10 miles. From there it
got a little tougher, but I was able to work through it. I posted a respectable
time at the end, although I'm not sure there's ever been a time that I was
happier just to have made it to the end of a race!" he concluded.
To follow Hildebrand and his RLR/Andersen Racing teammate, Andrew
Prendeville, see andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com. Hildebrand's Web site
is at jrhildebrandracing.com. PitFit's Web site is at pitfit.com.
For more information on the Mini, see 500festival.com. IMS's Web site is at
indianapolismotorspeedway.com, and the Firestone Indy Lights' Web site is at
indycar.com/pro.
About Allied Building Products Corp.:
Allied Building Products Corp., headquartered in East Rutherford, N.J., is
one of the largest roofing and siding distributors in the United States. Founded
in 1950 with five employees and two trucks, today it is a $1.8 billion
building material distribution company with over 3,500 employees, more than 200
branches in 30 states, well over one million square feet of office and warehouse
space, and an inventory of approximately 85,000 products, from residential
roofing and siding to doors, windows, waterproofing, manufactured stone, interior
products and commercial roofing systems. For more information see
alliedbuilding.com.
About Andersen Racing:
Andersen Racing strives to provide the best and most comprehensive training
possible for future open-wheel superstars while giving its marketing partners
media exposure and hospitality opportunities at some of the most prestigious
events in North America. It provides a unique, three-step program utilizing
multiple entries in three different series: the F2000 Championship (webcast), Star
Mazda (televised on SPEED) and Firestone Indy Lights (televised on ESPN2).
In 2008 it will field multiple entries in 42 races in 19 states and provinces
at some of the best facilities on the continent, including the famed
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Andersen Racing's principals, brother Dan and John Andersen, have extensive
experience in series administration as well as team management. They've worked
with many of today's top open-wheel stars, including several Indy 500 winners.
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. It is the
official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in the IndyCar
Series and the American Le Mans Series. In addition, its F2000 team is also
the official factory team of Van Diemen. The team is headquartered at Andersen
RacePark, an 18-acre facility in Palmetto, Fla. that includes a 1-mile test
track. For more information see andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com.